1. Technical Field
The present invention pertains in general to a document handling system and, more particularly, to a system of feeding notes into a high speed currency processing machine.
2. Description of the Related Art
After currency is distributed in the public sector, it will typically find its way back into the banking institutions. This is facilitated through individuals depositing currency documents in their local banking institutions, and businesses forwarding their cash receipts to the banking institutions. Once the banking institutions have received the currency in the form of the notes, these notes must then be processed. To facilitate the large number of notes that must be sorted, counted and then re-bundled or xe2x80x9cstrappedxe2x80x9d for distribution back to the banks, large high speed currency processing machines have been developed.
Currency processing machines, such as those developed and manufactured by Currency Systems International of Irving, Tex., typically have a feeder slot into which stacks of currency, sometimes in different denominations and even different sizes, can be placed. The currency processor will then individually strip the notes or documents from the feeder slot, pass them along a high speed conveyer past various sensing stations to determine the denomination, authenticity, and the quality or integrity of the note. Once this is done, then the currency processing machine will deposit each note processed in a collection bin associated with the proper denomination. Typically, a separate collection bin is provided for notes that are defective due to, for example, a tear or excessive wear, and another collection bin is provided for counterfeit notes. These processing machines can process notes at rates up to 2,400 notes per minute.
A prior art currency note feeder for feeding currency into these sorting machines is depicted in FIG. 1. A shuttle 120 picks up a note 180 from the stack of notes 160 by creating a vacuum between the note 180 and the transporter 120. The vacuum is created by a vacuum hose 130. The shuttle 120 then physically moves laterally to move the note 180 onto a transport belt (not shown). Often times a second note 170 is picked by the shuttle 120 along with the note 180 of interest. A stationary vacuum 110 is situated down stream from the stack of notes 160. The stationary vacuum 110 creates a vacuum on a side of the first note 180 opposite from the side of the first note 180 in contact with the shuttle 120. This stationary vacuum 110 picks off any stray notes such as the note 170 that may be stuck to the note 180 of interest, thus insuring that only one note at a time is fed into the currency sorting machine.
One problem encountered with present currency processing machines, such as depicted in FIG. 1, is that a batch of heavily soiled, worn, or torn notes requires more spacing between notes to adequately process the notes and to avoid jams in the currency processor. However, the current method and apparatus does not have any mechanism to adjust the spacing between notes such that such problems can be avoided. All that can be done with the present system is to increase or decrease the rate of notes processed, but this may not efficiently address the problems. Furthermore, current note feeders such as depicted in FIG. 1 are mechanical devices with coordinated vacuum and shuttle, which are hard to control with precision. It is not always possible to maintain the exact spacing with currently available note feeders nor is it possible to control the speed of note throughput or the spacing between notes in real time. Furthermore, the stationary vacuum 110 does not strip the second note 170 every time. Therefore, it would be beneficial to have a note feeder that maintains a constant note separation and that can adjust note separation and speed in real time based on occurrences within the currency sorting machine, thus avoiding the problems with the present system.
The present invention provides a method and apparatus for feeding a currency note into a currency processing machine. The note feeder includes a transporter for transporting notes from a note stack onto a processing belt inside the currency processing machine. The note feeder also includes a mediating transporter that takes the note from the transporter and feeds the note onto the processing belt. The note feeder also includes sensors for determining when the note has left a first feeding area and entered a second feeding area and to determine whether multiple notes have entered the second feeder section. The note feed also includes and a sensor that determines when the note has entered onto the processing belt. Based on information received from the sensors, the transporter starts and stops thus providing uniform spacing between notes. Also, based on information received from the sensors indicating the presence of multiple notes, a reversing or retarding transporter starts operation to prevent multiple notes from being fed onto the processing belt.
In a preferred embodiment, the transporter sits idle after the first note reaches the mediating transporter and restarts after the first note reaches the processing belt. In this manner, the spacing between consecutive notes is maintained at a constant distance. The transporter is also under the electronic control of the currency processing machine. If the currency processing machine determines that the spacing between successive notes needs to be adjusted because of a slow down in processing down stream, the transporter can be set to wait a predetermined time after the first note enters the processing belt before restarting and sending the next note. Thereby, the spacing between successive notes is adjusted. This control of the spacing between successive notes prevents jams in the currency processing machine which are not avoidable with the prior art where the transporter is purely mechanical and not under control of the currency processing machine. This adjustment of the spacing between successive notes takes place in real time. Furthermore, real time adjustment of the note speed is also provided.